Ditch the Hot Tools! 3 Steps to Cute Short Hair This Summer

Long hair may be a pain in the Summer, but anyone who has been through three months of sticky, sky-high temperatures without the ability to tie their hair up in a ponytail knows short hair can be infinitely more challenging. Your curling iron and straightener may remain close to a power outlet in the colder months, but come June, the last thing you want to do is bring any unnecessary heat near your body — let alone your precious hair.

So what's a short-haired girl (or guy) to do? Here are some tricks of the trade for those with closely cropped locks.

Healthy hair starts at the roots, and the beginning of Summer is the ideal time to gently wash away all the residue left behind from your heavy Winter products. While you can do this by simply switching up your regular shampoo and conditioner, a variety of brands have come out with products specifically targeted to cleanse and revive your scalp. The best thing you can do for your hair is get rid of all that leftover gunk, clear out those flakes, and give your hair a real chance to breathe.

I want you to round up all your thick, heavy products that your hair thrives on in the Winter and put them in a bin. Put that bin under the sink, in a cupboard, or somewhere you can forget about it until the thermostat drops again. Oils, serums, and sprays are not one size fits all — and that pertains to hair types as well as seasons.

In the Summer, you want to stock up on products that aren't going to weigh down your hair. You want that hair to bounce, not sag! I rely on three main products during the Summer: a light oil to prevent split ends, a root booster for some heatless volume, and a spray for frizz control.

If you don't want your existing products to go to waste, try cutting your usual dosage in half. You might be surprised by how much your hair actually needs! (Hint: not that much.)

So by now your hair is healthy, light, and ready for some texture, right? There is a way to achieve those perfect beachy waves without a curling iron!

Towel-dry your hair once you step out of the shower. Spritz in some root booster near your scalp and a touch of frizz control. Let your hair air-dry, then, depending on the length, separate it out into sections. If your ends are below your shoulders, you can probably get away with just parting it down the middle, then pulling it into two pigtails. If it's shorter, you may need to put it in four, or even six, sections.

Take the sections and pull them into individual buns. Secure them with bobby pins — I like the twisty kind, which tend to supply a more heavy-duty hold. Apply a light dusting of hairspray, and keep those buns in for up to one hour or overnight. (This works for longer hair as well; you just need a top bun.)

These tips aren't cure-alls for every Summer hair woe, but they'll definitely start off your #heatfree Summer on the right foot!